1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a beverage cooler for a golf bag for use in connection with providing a cooler to be placed in a golf bag to provide cold beverages to a golfer. The beverage cooler for a golf bag has particular utility in connection with providing cold beverage without removing the cooler from the golf bag but yet providing a cooler that can be removed from the bag as needed for cleaning or such.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of beverage coolers for a golf bags is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,682 issued May 15, 1990 to Penner discloses a spring and a door to open the cooler. Penner discloses straps to secure the elongated coolers around a conventional golf bag. Penner also discloses a base plate 25 which is built into a bag or retrofitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,519 issued Apr. 12, 1994 to Howorka discloses a generally cylindrical cooler attached to a conventional golf bag. The cooler is made of lightweight layers, approximately 3 feet long. The bottom end has a protrusion for engaging an umbrella holder of a golf bag. Cooling units are adapted to be inserted into the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,855 issued Jun. 24, 1997 to Crescenzo et al. discloses a cooler designed to fit within a side compartment of a golf bag. One side of generally rectangular shaped cooler is concave. An ice substitute is used to keep beverages cool.
Canadian Patent CA2,225,033A1 issued Mar. 3, 1998 to Whenham discloses a cooler that attached to a golfer's bag. The cooler is generally cylindrical and stored cooled soft drink cans of a standard size. The cooler is made of a light weight PVC pipe with Styrofoam insulation and a PVC cap. There are two hooks to attach the cooler to a golf bag. To remove sodas, the cap is dislodged, the cooler is taken off the golf bag and tipped over.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,806 issued Aug. 2, 1966 to Ring discloses a tubular container that arranges beverage bottles in an end-to-end relationship. A spring is used to assist in removing the cans.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,409 issued May 14, 1985 to Hobbs, Jr. et al. discloses a tubular contain with an internal storage passageway to arrange beverage cans in an end-to-end relationship. A spring is used to assist in removing the cans.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,977 issued Mar. 27, 1990 to Hilton discloses a cooler of thin walled tubular plastics which is closed at one end and has a removable lid at the other end. Cans are stacked and a disc with refrigerant material is placed between each can. A spring is used to assist in removing the cans.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a beverage cooler for a golf bag that is placed inside a golf bag, where the cooler is made of water resistant materials and may be removed from the golf bag for cleaning or filling with beverage cans but further allows for beverage removal from the cooler without removing the entire cooler from the golf bag while on a golf course in the middle of a golf game. In particular, the devices of Penner, Howorka and Whenham are attached to the external side of a golf bag, not placed inside as the present invention. Placement of a cooler inside a golf bag has several advantages over placement of a cooler on the outside of a golf bag. In particular, a cooler on the outside of a golf bag may make the bag harder to maneuver and manage, or harder to balance. Further, a cooler placed on the inside of a golf bag is more discreet and out of the way than one attached to the outside. The device of Penner also required modification of the golf bag to use the cooler. The device of Crescenzo must be removed from the golf bag to remove a beverage. This requires the golfer to stop, reach down into a golf bag side pocket, unzip bags and coolers to remove a beverage and place the cooler back in the bag, interrupting the progress of the golfer and other golfers on the course. The device of Whenham must be turned upside down to remove beverages from the cooler, thus prohibiting discreet and easy removal of beverages from a cooler. The coolers of Ring, Hobbs, Jr. et al., and Hilton require a spring within the cooler to assist in removal of beverages from the cooler. Springs and several internal cooler parts may wear out over time and become damaged by water within the coolers.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved beverage cooler for a golf bag which can be used for supplying cool beverage to a golfer out on the course or in any location. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the beverage cooler for a golf bag according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides a cooler for a golf bag for the purpose of providing a golfer the convenience of cold beverages on the golf course or elsewhere where the cold beverages can be removed from the golf bag without removal of the cooler from the golf bag.